Act 4, Chapter 22 Summary

Nuckles comes to court bony, frail, pasty, and heavily made up. He points out Vernon, but has trouble talking about May 20. He admits giving Vernon handwritten notes and sending him on an errand, and then shouts about the scorned love and erased perfume of Jesus, the blood of babes. Vernon killed them all. Nuckles and Vernon both sob, and Vernon continues sobbing through both summations. Mom cannot make it on Friday, Nov. 21, but Pam, Vaine, and George are in court. The foreman announces 18 not-guilty verdicts, including Barry's, but guilty of killing his friends. Vernon feels the departments in the office of his life shred files and close down. The husk of his body alone is led out of court.

Act 4, Chapter 22 Analysis

Why broken Nuckles seals Vernon's fate is left unclear in this short, explosive chapter, which closes Act 4. No insight...